My response to my mother this time was "do what dad told you to do with the last email", then I walked outside to smoke. I got accused of being mean, but I don't really care at the moment.

13 years ago (I was 12) my older brother told me "I'll show this one last time but from now on you're on your own" about a computer question.Best thing he ever did, I wish we could have done the same with my mom, I've been in a few rounds of "this time I'm really ready to learn!" - "but actually I don't have the time right now so please just do it for me". ><Last time she and her friend were stuck, they were trying to access friend's email account, on yahoo, like my mom, but couldn't!111 it's stuck on my mother's account !111. I head-desk-ed and closed my mothers account, they had been trying to do it by clossing the window

I'm a minority race in this country, and I stand out. Normally, that's fine. No problems. But a few weeks ago, DH and I were eating out somewhere. He mentioned that it was odd that a random tourist couple (of the same race as me) had arrived after us, stared very obviously at what I was eating, and then ordered the exact same thing. At the time we just thought it was weird. But since then, I've noticed it happens whenever I eat out. If there is a tourist, more often than not, they'll notice me (again: different skin colour means I stand out, so I'm easy to spot), stare at my food, and get the exact same thing. I can only assume that they're not sure what to eat, and assume that if another of their race can eat it, then so can they

Still, now I'm all self-conscious whenever I go out. It's really annoying. I know I should just ignore it, but it bothers me a lot more than it should to be aware that someone is openly staring at me. I can't enjoy my food as much because I've found out that apparently there are a lot of weird tourists around here

Speaking of being stared at, I was at the Apple Store yesterday to get a phone replaced. I was told that it would take a while. No problem, I'd brought a book. An actual BOOK-book, not a Kindle or anything like that. You should've seen the stares! The worst, however, was the guy who stood beside me and literally stared for a full minute until I looked up, then he muttered "Sorry" and moved on.

My gripe today is less-than-bright Freecycle folks. I gave away a bunch of stuff this week, and one lady (I'll call her Clueless) said "I'll take everything you've got." I said "Well, some of it's already spoken for, but I can let you have Item 1, Item 2, and Item 3." She sent her son to pick up the stuff, and along with items 1, 2, and 3, he also took items 4 and 5 - which were promised to other people. They were less than impressed to show up at my house and find the stuff gone (can't blame them). The kicker, though, is that Clueless is now saying "Gee, I wondered why I got items 4 and 5 too. Do I really have to bring them back? It's such a long drive to your house." TOO BAD! BLAME YOUR SON! (Or blame the lack of communication between yourself and your son.)

Yes, the goal of finding indoor homes for every cat is a noble one, but the fact remains that some cats are feral/semi-feral and are unadoptable under normal circumstances. The fact also remains that cats are very good hunters. So, if a person who lives out in the country wants to adopt a feral/semi-feral cat to serve as a barn cat, this would provide an otherwise unadoptable cat a home. Even if it's an outdoor home, these cats would still be fed regularly and given regular vet care. This is a much better life than on the streets, and definitely better than putting them down. At least that's how I think.

But NO! I'm EVIL. At least that's the attitude I've gotten from the rescue groups around here.

*sigh*

I have rats in the attic. My current cats are nearing 10 years old, which is quite old for barn cats. They can no longer hunt like they used to. We need to let them "retire", and live out their days sleeping in trees and sunning themselves on the pool deck and let some younger cats come in and do the work. My family does take care of our animals, even if they're working animals. Grrrr.

Logged

Some people lift weights. I lift measures. It's a far more esoteric workout. - (Quoted from a personal friend)

I was a bit peeved to discover that at least 25 years ago, on birth certificates, the father is listed before the mother.Holy patriarchal society Batman!Last time I checked, only one person was absolutely necessary for giving birth to a baby. And those poor mothers who either didn't know the father or didn't want him on the certificate, it goes "John Johnson, born from, oh, we don't know who, and oh yeah, a mother also".

I don't know how it goes now, there's a good chance it was changed so I'm a few years behind on being peeved, and can only appreciate the fact that little things like that are changing.Like official documents and correspondence and stuff* cannot use the 'miss' anymore, it's madam for everyone. I don't mind anyone calling me 'mademoiselle' in conversation since I'm the right demographic for that but my marital status doesn't matter as far as most companies are concerned.Yep, 10 years old girls are getting letters addressed with Madam, it's a bit weird but there's no way to have a cutout line between the two that doesn't involve marital status.

*I have no idea of the ins and outs of this, I know the state cannot use 'miss' anymore, I know some shops or banks have stopped using it too but I think they're not obligated too, I'm not sure.

I was a bit peeved to discover that at least 25 years ago, on birth certificates, the father is listed before the mother.Holy patriarchal society Batman!Last time I checked, only one person was absolutely necessary for giving birth to a baby. And those poor mothers who either didn't know the father or didn't want him on the certificate, it goes "John Johnson, born from, oh, we don't know who, and oh yeah, a mother also".

I don't know how it goes now, there's a good chance it was changed so I'm a few years behind on being peeved, and can only appreciate the fact that little things like that are changing.Like official documents and correspondence and stuff* cannot use the 'miss' anymore, it's madam for everyone. I don't mind anyone calling me 'mademoiselle' in conversation since I'm the right demographic for that but my marital status doesn't matter as far as most companies are concerned.Yep, 10 years old girls are getting letters addressed with Madam, it's a bit weird but there's no way to have a cutout line between the two that doesn't involve marital status.

*I have no idea of the ins and outs of this, I know the state cannot use 'miss' anymore, I know some shops or banks have stopped using it too but I think they're not obligated too, I'm not sure.

What caught me off guard was that on my boyfriend's birth certificate (he's in his early 40's), there is a section for the profession of the father but not the mother.

Yes, the goal of finding indoor homes for every cat is a noble one, but the fact remains that some cats are feral/semi-feral and are unadoptable under normal circumstances. The fact also remains that cats are very good hunters. So, if a person who lives out in the country wants to adopt a feral/semi-feral cat to serve as a barn cat, this would provide an otherwise unadoptable cat a home. Even if it's an outdoor home, these cats would still be fed regularly and given regular vet care. This is a much better life than on the streets, and definitely better than putting them down. At least that's how I think.

But NO! I'm EVIL. At least that's the attitude I've gotten from the rescue groups around here.

*sigh*

I have rats in the attic. My current cats are nearing 10 years old, which is quite old for barn cats. They can no longer hunt like they used to. We need to let them "retire", and live out their days sleeping in trees and sunning themselves on the pool deck and let some younger cats come in and do the work. My family does take care of our animals, even if they're working animals. Grrrr.

Do you have a trap-neuter-release program in your area? Or a low-income spay/neuter program? One of those should be able to help you out with finding feral cats.

We have a similar problem. Our org has a TNR program, but there are a few people in our (foster-only) group who will let any old feral cat into their home--which is noble, but if it started out feral, it can probably stay feral, and not take up space for an owner-surrendered cat or an impound cat that's been indoors its whole life. We are now flush with kittens because people wanted to bring the teensie babies into their homes instead of raising them in the barn or garage, and will soon be stuck with 3-4 full sized house cats that they won't have room for and someone else will need to foster.

I was a bit peeved to discover that at least 25 years ago, on birth certificates, the father is listed before the mother.Holy patriarchal society Batman!Last time I checked, only one person was absolutely necessary for giving birth to a baby. And those poor mothers who either didn't know the father or didn't want him on the certificate, it goes "John Johnson, born from, oh, we don't know who, and oh yeah, a mother also".

I don't know how it goes now, there's a good chance it was changed so I'm a few years behind on being peeved, and can only appreciate the fact that little things like that are changing.Like official documents and correspondence and stuff* cannot use the 'miss' anymore, it's madam for everyone. I don't mind anyone calling me 'mademoiselle' in conversation since I'm the right demographic for that but my marital status doesn't matter as far as most companies are concerned.Yep, 10 years old girls are getting letters addressed with Madam, it's a bit weird but there's no way to have a cutout line between the two that doesn't involve marital status.

*I have no idea of the ins and outs of this, I know the state cannot use 'miss' anymore, I know some shops or banks have stopped using it too but I think they're not obligated too, I'm not sure.

What caught me off guard was that on my boyfriend's birth certificate (he's in his early 40's), there is a section for the profession of the father but not the mother.

Yes, the goal of finding indoor homes for every cat is a noble one, but the fact remains that some cats are feral/semi-feral and are unadoptable under normal circumstances. The fact also remains that cats are very good hunters. So, if a person who lives out in the country wants to adopt a feral/semi-feral cat to serve as a barn cat, this would provide an otherwise unadoptable cat a home. Even if it's an outdoor home, these cats would still be fed regularly and given regular vet care. This is a much better life than on the streets, and definitely better than putting them down. At least that's how I think.

But NO! I'm EVIL. At least that's the attitude I've gotten from the rescue groups around here.

*sigh*

I have rats in the attic. My current cats are nearing 10 years old, which is quite old for barn cats. They can no longer hunt like they used to. We need to let them "retire", and live out their days sleeping in trees and sunning themselves on the pool deck and let some younger cats come in and do the work. My family does take care of our animals, even if they're working animals. Grrrr.

Do you have a trap-neuter-release program in your area? Or a low-income spay/neuter program? One of those should be able to help you out with finding feral cats.

We have a similar problem. Our org has a TNR program, but there are a few people in our (foster-only) group who will let any old feral cat into their home--which is noble, but if it started out feral, it can probably stay feral, and not take up space for an owner-surrendered cat or an impound cat that's been indoors its whole life. We are now flush with kittens because people wanted to bring the teensie babies into their homes instead of raising them in the barn or garage, and will soon be stuck with 3-4 full sized house cats that they won't have room for and someone else will need to foster.

There are several, and I talked to most of them and left messages with the rest. I did get through to one person in the county shelter who was hopeful that I might be able to take a few cats that would normally get put down. We're going to go to the shelter tomorrow to talk to the manager. The county normally puts down the ferals, since there's just too many house cats and they'd rather use the shelter space for cats that can be adopted into regular homes. There's only a small "country" area in the county, so the need for barn cats is small, and the county doesn't normally get such requests. I'm actually kind of surprised that it was the county shelter who was willing to work with me, and not the smaller rescue groups.

Logged

Some people lift weights. I lift measures. It's a far more esoteric workout. - (Quoted from a personal friend)

I went to a fundraising dinner tonight that advertised itself as having a meat and vegan option. Except when I got there, I was told the chef "didn't think anybody would want the vegan option." I got to eat just salad and bread, which were good for a fundraiser dinner but not what I signed up for. Yes, I'm ok eating just bread and salad at somebody's home when I'm invited for supper but not for a meal that I paid for and was promised an entree I could eat. However, I felt worse for the woman down the table from me who was an actual vegan and couldn't eat the salad that was pre-dressed with creamy dressing and covered with cheese and pre-buttered bread. When she asked about plain salad and bread, she was told that they were too busy to deal with that.